I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas

My older sis and I decided this summer that we were going to do a “green” Christmas. We are purchasing gifts that are made in the USA, are organic, are used, or are handmade (even by us). We also decided that if we came across something that we know the person we’re buying for needs, we can break the rules just a smidge to get them that necessity.

I started off by purchasing a few used books for my niece (Fraggle Rock) and for my little sister and her husband (vegetarian cookbooks) from the Canton Public Library’s Secondhand Prose bookstore.

I purchased something useful for my brother-in-law, Reid: woodworking tools and patterns. Though only a few things are made in the USA, these are things he will be able to use in the future for his woodworking hobby.

The hubby and I purchased spinners, a double shepherd’s hook, and a napkin holder from a Hudderite colony in southern Minnesota. I can talk about these because we weren’t willing to drag them all the way back to Michigan, so the family got them while we were there.

Now we get to the fun part. I went shopping on Etsy, and I was able to score the following awesome stuff:

For my nephew and niece.

For my little sister.

For my brother-in-law (the lil sis’s man).

For my friend, Brooke.

For our friend, Trevor.

And even though my older sister reads my blog, I love this so much, I have to show it off. So, Rachel, don’t click on this link! For my darling older sister.

And this, this is for me (fifth picture down, Autumn Floral). For my new business cards. I have actual business cards for my work. Wow. I think I have a real job. Crazy.

I am making a scarf for my goddaughter, Emily (I have two Emilies in my life–two different spellings and two very different and lovely girls), and I am purchasing something useful for my husband. He reads this blog occasionally, so I won’t say anything more about that.

I’m going to upcycle old cards for my Christmas correspondence, or I will be using recycled paper and envelopes for a Christmas letter. I haven’t decided which yet.

I will also be making the gift bags for each present. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make all of them in time for my family’s presents, but I’ll definitely be making them for the hubby’s side of the family.

I don’t want this post to sound all preachy, but this is something we chose together. I just thought I would share what we were up to.